ANIMAL FIGUEES IN THE MAYA CODICES 355 



In two of the figures (PL 30, figs. 7, 8), the entire animal is 

 shown, sitting erect on its haunches, the first with one ear 

 in advance of the other, a trait more characteristic of the 

 jack rabbit than of the short-eared rabbits. For convenience 

 of comparison, we have placed beside these two figures one 

 of a deer in much the same position. It is at once distin- 

 guished, however, by its long head, longer bushy tail, and 

 by the marks at each end of the eye. What at first sight 

 appear to be two gnawing teeth of the rabbit seem to be the 

 incisors of the lower jaw. This is the animal identified by 

 Stempell as a dog. 



The animal shown to be a rabbit in Dresden 61 (PI. 30, 

 fig. 8) is pictured seated on the open jaws of a serpent in the 

 same way as the peccary on the following page. These two 

 animals, together with two representations of god B and the 

 black god (Dresden 61), are each clearly connected with the 

 serpents on which they are sitting. 



The Nahua day Tochtli signifies rabbit and naturally the 

 animal occurs throughout the Mexican manuscripts as repre- 

 senting this day (PL 30, figs. 3, 4). 



Other Rodents. We have included in PL 29, figs. 5, 

 7, 8, three undetermined mammals. The second of these 

 is characterized by the two prominent gnawing teeth of a 

 rodent and by its long tail. It may represent a pack rat 

 (Neotoma) of which many species are described from Mexico. 

 In its rounded ears and long tail, fig. 5 somewhat resembles 

 fig. 7, but it lacks the gnawing incisors. Still less satisfactory 

 is fig. 8 from Tro-Cortesianus 24d, at whose identity it seems 

 unsafe to hazard a guess. It is shown as eating the corn 

 being sowed by god D. 



Jaguar {Felis hernandezi; F. h. goldmani). Through- 

 out its range, the jaguar (Maya, balam or tsakmul) is the 

 most dreaded of the carnivorous mammals. It is, therefore, 

 natural that the Mayas held it in great awe and used it as 

 a symbol of strength and courage. A few characteristic 

 figures are shown in PL 34, figs. 1-3; PL 35, figs. 5-14. The 

 species represented is probably Felis hernandezi, the Mexican 



